Organisation profile

Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.

Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.

Main research areas

Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.

Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.

Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.

We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.

Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.

Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.

With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.

Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses

In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.

  1. 2019
  2. Published

    Slowing resource loops in the Circular Economy: an experimentation approach in fashion retail

    Bocken, N. M. P., Miller, K., Weissbrod, I., Holgado, M. & Evans, S., 2019, Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2018: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing (KES-SDM-18). Dao, D., Howlett, R. J., Setchi, R. & Vlacic, L. (eds.). Cham: Springer Nature, p. 164-173 10 p. (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies; vol. 130).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    StadtLandschaft

    Hofmeister, S. & Mölders, T., 2019, Handbuch Landschaft. Kühne, O., Weber, F., Berr, K. & Jenal, C. (eds.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 731-741 11 p. (RaumFragen: Stadt - Region - Landschaft).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Sustainable entrepreneurship: Composing individual processes and collaborative transformations

    Schaltegger, S. & Johnson, M., 2019, Decent Work and Economic Growth: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Leal Filho, W., Azul, A. M., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P. & Wall, T. (eds.). Cham: Springer Verlag, 11 p. (Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  5. Published

    The sustainability balanced scorecard: An introduction to the SBSC and its links to accounting and reporting

    Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Schaltegger, S., 2019, Measuring and controlling sustainability: Spanning Theory and Practice. Lindgreen, A., Vallaster, C., Yousafzai, S. & Hirsch, B. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 33-53 21 p. (A Gower book).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  6. Published

    Überzeugungen von angehenden Lehrkräften zum Philosophieren mit Kindern im inklusiven Sachunterricht: Potentiale und Herausforderungen für die Professionalisierung

    Sellin, K. & Michalik, K., 2019, Inklusion im Sachunterricht: Perspektiven der Forschung. Pech, D., Schomaker, C. & Simon, T. (eds.). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt, Vol. 10. p. 236-248 13 p. (Forschungen zur Didaktik des Sachunterrichts; vol. 10).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Wasser und nachhaltige Chemie: Wie kommen wir zu noch sauberem Wasser?

    Olsson, O. & Kümmerer, K., 2019, In: Vom Wasser. 117, 1, p. 5-8 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  8. Published

    Was tun gegen das Insektensterben? Empfehlungen für naturschutzfachlich wertvolle Flächen

    Aßmann, T., Buse, J., Drees, C., Homburg, K. & Nolte, D., 2019, In: Natur und Landschaft. 94, 6-7, p. 289-293 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Wer wird denn nun bei den Noten benachteiligt - Mädchen oder Jungen?

    Schuster, C., 2019, In: The In-Mind. 1/2019

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    WOOP: Wisch-outcome-obstacle-plan

    Oettingen, G. & Sevincer, A. T., 2019, Dorsch Psychologisches Wörterbuch. Huber Verlag

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  11. Published

    Workshop: Die Fleischbranche im Wandel - Wege und Ansätze einer Nachhaltigkeitstransformation: Ergebnisdokumentation

    Schaltegger, S., Hübel, C. & Zufall, J., 2019, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 30 p.

    Research output: Working paperProject reportsResearch

  12. Published

    WTO

    Bäumler, J., 2019, EU-Außenwirtschafts- und Zollrecht. Herrmann, C. & Niestedt, M. (eds.). München: C.H. Beck Verlag, Vol. 2. 60 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions in collection of commentariesResearch

  13. Published

    Zukunftsdenken: future thinking

    Sevincer, A. T. & Oettingen, G., 2019, Dorsch Psychologisches Wörterbuch. Huber Verlag

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  14. 2018
  15. Published

    Wahrnehmung und Anpassungsverhalten der Landwirte an Greening: Eine qualitative Studie in Südniedersachsen

    Schüler, S., Bienwald, L., Loos, J. & Lakner, S., 19.12.2018, In: Berichte uber Landwirtschaft. 96, 3, 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  16. Published

    Effectiveness and treatment moderators of internet interventions for adult problem drinking: An individual patient data meta-analysis of 19 randomised controlled trials.

    Riper, H., Hoogendoorn, A., Cuijpers, P., Karyotaki, E., Boumparis, N., Mira, A., Andersson, G., Berman, A., Bertholet, N., Bischof, G., Blankers, M., Boon, B., Boß, L., Brendryen, H., Cunningham, J., Ebert, D. D., Hansen, A., Hester, R., Khadjesari, Z., Kramer, J., Murray, E., Postel, M., Schulz, D., Sinadinovic, K., Suffoletto, B., Sundström, C., de Vries, H., Wallace, P., Wiers, R. W. & Smit, J. H., 18.12.2018, In: PLoS Medicine. 15, 12, 26 p., e1002714.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  17. Published

    Strategic networking for sustainability: Lessons learned from two case studies in higher education

    Kahle, J., Risch, K., Wanke, A. & Lang, D. J., 06.12.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 12, 24 p., 4646.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Networks and the idea-fruition process of female social entrepreneurs in South Africa

    Halberstadt, J. & Spiegler, A. B., 05.12.2018, In: Social Enterprise Journal. 14, 4, p. 429-449 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    A critical review of policies and legislation protecting Tanzanian wetlands

    Materu, S. F., Urban, B. & Heise, S., 02.12.2018, In: Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. 4, 12, p. 310-320 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  20. Published

    Komplexe Verhältnisse: Bildungsprozesse zwischen Theorie und Praxis

    Offen, S. & Hechler, A., 02.12.2018, In: Journal für Politische Bildung. 2018, 3, p. 46-51 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  21. Published

    A new world for old landscapes: Land-use intensification and bird conservation in a traditional farming landscape

    Dorresteijn, I., Nimmo, D. G., Loos, J., Hanspach, J., Moga, C. I., David, A., Ernst, L. M. & Fischer, J., 01.12.2018, In: North-Western Journal of Zoology. 14, 2, p. 199-207 9 p., e171605.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  22. Published

    Biodiversity across trophic levels drives multifunctionality in highly diverse forests

    Schuldt, A., Assmann, T., Brezzi, M., Buscot, F., Eichenberg, D., Gutknecht, J., Härdtle, W., He, J.-S., Klein, A.-M., Kühn, P., Liu, X., Ma, K., Niklaus, P. A., Pietsch, K. A., Purahong, W., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Schmid, B., Scholten, T., Staab, M., Tang, Z., Trogisch, S., von Oheimb, G., Wirth, C., Wubet, T., Zhu, C.-D. & Bruelheide, H., 01.12.2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 1, 10 p., 2989 .

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review